crest

[ krest ]

/ krɛst /

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See synonyms for: crest / crested / cresting on Thesaurus.com

noun

the highest part of a hill or mountain range; summit.

the head or top of anything.

a ridge or ridgelike formation.

the foamy top of a wave.

the point of highest flood, as of a river.

the highest point or level; climax; culmination.

a tuft or other natural growth on the top of the head of an animal, as the comb of a rooster.

anything resembling or suggesting such a tuft.

the ridge of the neck of a horse, dog, etc.

the mane growing from this ridge.

an ornament or heraldic device surmounting a helmet.

a helmet.

a ridge running from front to back along the top of a helmet; comb.

Heraldry. a figure borne above the escutcheon in an achievement of arms, either on a helmet or by itself as a distinguishing device.

Anatomy. a ridge, especially on a bone.

a ridge or other prominence on any part of the body of an animal.

Architecture. a cresting.

Machinery. (in a screw or other threaded object) the ridge or surface farthest from the body of the object and defined by the flanks of the thread.Compare root¹ (def. 15a).

verb (used with object)

to furnish with a crest.

to serve as a crest for; crown or top.

to reach the crest or summit of (a hill, mountain, etc.).

verb (used without object)

to form or rise to a crest, as a wave or river.

to reach the crest or highest level: Interest in the project has crested.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of crest

1275–1325; Middle English creste<Old French <Latin crista

OTHER WORDS FROM crest

crested, adjectivecrestless, adjectivesubcrest, nounun·crest·ed, adjective

un·der·crest, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use crest in a sentence

It’s no secret that esports has been on the crest of a hype cycle for the last year, but it’s getting to a point where the industry has to face the realities of the market.
‘Esports isn’t lucrative in the near term’: FaZe Clan CEO’s endgame for gaming|Seb Joseph|February 18, 2021|Digiday
We may now be coming back down from the crest of that curve, Topol says.
COVID-19 Case Counts Have Started Falling in the U.S. This May Be Why|Jamie Ducharme|February 10, 2021|Time
You have to muster enough speed so you don’t get stuck at the crest, but not too much that the car flips over on the other side.
The Strange Allure of a Flight to Nowhere (and Other Places We're Desperate to Go)|Susanna Schrobsdorff|February 7, 2021|Time
But what happens at Winchester University is a microcosm of the cruel world beyond its be-crested gates.
‘Dear White People’ Is the Race Movie America Didn’t Know It Needed|Rawiya Kameir|October 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST

We buy shares when the market has crested, and sell when the market has hit bottom.
Guns are Dangerous, Even When Used by Good Men|David Frum|April 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The flip side, however, is that as quickly as the tide crested it can recede.
Why Markets Are Melting|Zachary Karabell|August 9, 2011|DAILY BEAST
The office shooting in Orlando—on the same day unemployment crested 10 percent—is a deadly omen.
Going Postal|Mark Ames|November 7, 2009|DAILY BEAST
All told, it was an incredible effort to save a campaign that—even before the scandal crested—was over by January 30, 2008.
The Mystery Man of the Edwards Affair|Bryan Curtis|May 20, 2009|DAILY BEAST
A golden eagle, the armorial ensign of the Ripperda family, crested the centre arch.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4|Jane Porter
The sea is black, with sufficient swell on it to cause a few crested waves here and there to gleam intensely white by contrast.
The Floating Light of the Goodwin Sands|R.M. Ballantyne
On heavily-crested stationery follow the missives of the ladies whose daughters would make sweet bridesmaids.
With Edged Tools|Henry Seton Merriman
Pausing at a hut on the side of the great green mountain, we looked north toward Helva, white-crested with a wreath of vapour.
Penelope's Experiences in Scotland|Kate Douglas Wiggin
He describes the storm sweeping over the white-crested mountains till the earth, like a hoary king, trembles with fear.
Sacred Books of the East|Various

British Dictionary definitions for crest (1 of 2)

crest

/ (krɛst) /

noun

a tuft or growth of feathers, fur, or skin along the top of the heads of some birds, reptiles, and other animals

something resembling or suggesting this

the top, highest point, or highest stage of something

a ridge on the neck of a horse, dog, lion, etc

the mane or hair growing from this ridge

an ornamental piece, such as a plume, on top of a helmet

heraldry a symbol of a family or office, usually representing a beast or bird, borne in addition to a coat of arms and used in medieval times to decorate the helmet

a ridge along the top of a roof, wall, etc

a ridge along the surface of a bone

Also called: cresting archery identifying rings painted around an arrow shaft

verb

(intr) to come or rise to a high point

(tr) to lie at the top of; cap

(tr) to go to or reach the top of (a hill, wave, etc)

Derived forms of crest

crested, adjectivecrestless, adjective

Word Origin for crest

C14: from Old French creste, from Latin crista

British Dictionary definitions for crest (2 of 2)

CREST

/ (krɛst) /

noun

an electronic share-settlement system, created by the Bank of England and owned by 69 firms, that began operations in 1996

Word Origin for CREST

C20: from CrestCo, the name of the operating company

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for crest

crest

[ krĕst ]

The part of a wave with greatest magnitude; the highest part of a wave. Compare trough. See more at wave.

crest

Origin of crest

OTHER WORDS FROM crest

Words related to crest

How to use crest in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for crest (1 of 2)

Derived forms of crest

Word Origin for crest

British Dictionary definitions for crest (2 of 2)

Word Origin for CREST

Scientific definitions for crest